I feel like I have gone from being clueless about what constituted “Post Rock” a decade ago to becoming the Ave Noctum specialist. In fact, to drill down even further I seem to be the go to guy for Australian instrumental post rock on Birds Robe records. My postie seems to bring a new art deco styled digipak from the editor every week.
Now, to say my fellow reviewer Andrew Doherty did not dig Seims last release 3 + 3.1 would be akin to saying I think Priti Patel may have got a couple of things wrong recently.
So now it is up to me to jump feet first into the imaginatively titled four that this dectet have released. (I had to look up what ten musos were called). This mob contain flugel horn players, harpists, violinists and viola players, singers and synth tinklers, trumpet players, cellists and double bass thumpers. So, a prog leaning post-math-rock (the PR words not mine) orchestra of sorts.
Well, I free my mind and take the plunge and cast my mind back to my daily commute across the harbour back in 95. Sounds glam hey? I was collecting for a charity but got the ferry across the harbour every day pretending I was in the Rio video!
So, to the music. It’s over indulgent and rather pretentious – but then I think it should be. It’s proggy neo classical free form post rock – if it wasn’t a bit poncy then what would be the point? There are points were it is all a little Vangelis meets Rick Wakeman as on Stranded, Isolated and I can imagine the capes flying in the wind machine and a rider filled with Dom Perignon ‘58. Grandiose but proud of it. This is a band that revel in their pomposity – peacocking as they add yet another layer of flugelhorn over a viola. I hope they are not too insulted by my thoughts but I mean no disrespect – I am digging Four but feel a little like an urchin watching talented fops cavort in a regency era drawing room. It sounds crazy and wonderful but what the fuck are these blokes doing?
The opener “The Mountain’s Lullaby” is a marrying of plinky-plonky piano and warm strings that starts off like a Sunday tea time thriller theme then descends into the screech of a young neighbour after their first violin lesson. There are elements of folky strings throughout the album and Simon Batholomew who provides bass, guitars, synths, piano and vocals has a few modern prog and post hardcore tricks up his (I’m imagining) kaftan sleeves. By the time “The Pursuit of intermediate Happiness” is thudding into my ears I am sold and have taken a big swig of the Seims Kool Aid.
“Showdown Without a Victim“ is next . Listen to it. Go on. Then go googling to work out what it reminds you of. It took me a little bit of sleuthing but eventually I realised that I could hear the themes to Callan, The Man from Uncle and mainly Get Carter. Total late sixties thrillerthon here – makes you want to take a shitty expensive train to a northern city – hang on I am going to Leeds in two days! Next track “Shouting at a Brick Wall“ is more Starsky and Hutch with elements of early noughties American indie in the guitar sound.
So, as the tracks pass me by like trees and houses on the rail replacement bus service of sound I realise that Seims have produced an album of theme tunes. As a collection they don’t really do a lot for me – which is odd for post rock. In my recent experience post rock has been something that I immersed myself in and luxuriated in like a warm bath.
Seims offer short showers, sometimes a blast of warm jets other times a massaging pulsating drum on the lower back or nether regions and sometimes a dull drip but each track is different and disconnected from its fellows. It’s the sort of album I would want to add to a playlist that I was shuffling with mates round and I think would have people asking who it was with real interest.
“Biting Tongues” has the first vocals that I notice. It is a bit of a track I can imagine on a (Music Inspired by) The Lost Boys album. Tribal jazz drums with 80’s synths and lo-fi drony moany vocals. Strangely I don’t hate it and the big splashy drums that come in make me smile. The urgent ending is a little too much but I am still on board.
“Nuance Lost in Translation” brings to mind both John Carpenter and Ryuichi Sakamoto – this bunch really bring out the old film student in me and I am not sure if I am looking forlornly at a stricken David Bowie or some dirty urban wasteland. However, the harp of Victor Valdes (love alliteration in names) lifts things – such an angelic instrument.
“Understatement” is a pleasant folky little number. Like a knitted jumper given as a gift. Nice enough, does its job but it goes back in the cupboard until your nan, who gave it to you, comes to visit.
Four ends with “The Mountain’s Scream” – a bolshie number that starts with a near post Black Metal atmosphere before wandering off into proggy jazz rock. That wander is a nice enough jaunt though. The drumming is great and every instrument is a clear as summer s day, one of the guitars has a J Mascis sound about it that I really dig. My mind flits to the films of Ben Wheatly and the vocal that comes in has a quaint yet eerie English feel to them which fits with that auteur.
“Cavalcade” the bonus track is a belter – post rock through and through. Great use of strings and emotive chord progressions. The melancholy has a wry and possibly maniacal grin here.
Will I reach for this album again and listen to it through? If I am honest no. Will I play random tracks on the radio, add them to a shuffle playlist and let my wander< Definitely yes.
So they must be doing summat right.
(7/10 Matt Mason)
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